Precious Pets Vol 3, Issue 5 by PreciousPets

Precious Pets www.preciouspets.ca VOLUME 3

ISSUE 5 u JANUARY 29, 2016

Photo Bram Eisenthal

5 ARE YOU A DOG OR A CAT PERSON

8 MIKE COHEN MEETS FAMOUS ALGONQUIN HOTEL CAT

12 SHARON AZRIELI PEREZ See story page 4

INJURED OLYMPIAN TRAINS WITH HER DOG

WORDS FROM THE EDITOR

Interview with Quebec Agri-Animal Minister Pierre Paradis our key resolution Barking Bram with Bram Eisenthal

Well, it has been an enjoyable and restful break, but since animals don’t really celebrate our holidays per se, Tina and I have been anxious to get back to ya. So here we are, back with a vengeance, to celebrate the New Year of 2016 with you and our great staff at Precious Pets. Since “The Resolution” is such a time-worn New Year’s tradition, I have decided that pet welfare, indeed, animal welfare in general, will be our major goal this year. That means that we will be gunning, really targeting, the government bureaucrats who make the laws that dictate what is allowed and strictly forbidden in the way we treat our animals. As you may or may not know, Precious Pets has been attempting to garner an interview with Pierre Paradis, the Quebec government’s elected MNA and Minister of Agriculture who also counts the animal welfare portfolio among his many tasks. We have been promised that Mr. Paradis would grant us our interview a couple of times already, so why does it feel we are being sloughed off by his office? We have been trying to land this interview over a year already, so, hey gang, isn’t that long enough? Don’t push me too far, because I am capable of making things quite uncomfortable for you up there on Quebec City’s Parliament Hill, also known as the National Assembly (in English). More to come on this in the near future, I hope.... BREAKING NEWS:

An associate with my MNA’s office here in Cote St. Luc (David Birenbaum) called me recently and is still hot on the trail of news on this pending project.... and I was told during layout to expect a call from Paradis’s office any day... so we remain hopeful... Cats, too, figure prominently in the equation Because we have admittedly been very dog-heavy since we started and because heavy dogs are not necessarily healthy dogs, we promise to also strive to cover more ground in the cat field during the year ahead, starting with this month’s fine submission by Mike Cohen, affectionately known around these here parts as “The Catman,” and his family’s visit to a special kitty at New York’s historic Algonquin Hotel. Join us as we meet Matilda... you’ll be glad you did! And welcome to our new columnist, Zoe Bennett, who also broaches the subject. Good bets at the movie theatre Well, I did not go to the movies weekly in 2015 as I once did, but I managed nonetheless to see THREE films over the holidays and I liked them all. Krampus is a horror film, so of course I had to see this ghoultide yarn about the “real-life” Santa anti-hero who comes to see you if you are naughty, not nice. It’s far from a low-budget stinker and I liked it a lot. I am hardly a Star Wars fan, although I have seen them all (anything sci-fi or horror turns my crank),

Precious Pets The ultimate monthly paper for pets and their companions Precious Pets is a publication of Precious Pets Media Group Inc. Volume 3, Issue 5, January 2016. Copyright 2016. Precious Pets does not accept responsibility for errors, misprints or inaccuracies published within. The opinions and statements of our columnists are not presumed to be the opinions and statements of Precious Pets Group Inc.

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016

David Bowie

as I am a Trekker far more than a Warser. But I gotta tell ya, true to his rep, JJ Abrams has come up with another classic that may well be the finest film in the SW anthology of wonders... even better than the first one! And the day before New Year’s Eve, I managed to catch The Big Short, which will probably win an Oscar for something. Much like American Hustle, I found it pretty slow-moving, but this story about the huge American banking scandal of the early 21st century had amazing acting and was quite compelling, even for a financial idiot like me. So, Bram Eberts enthusiastically

gives all three a resounding thumbs up! By the way, Dirty Grandpa may be filthy but Robert DeNiro is very funny indeed. Rest in peace to many who passed on earlier this month Singer, songwriter and Starman David Bowie, who was apparently

BRAM

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PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

REMEMBERING A LOVED ONE

In My Own Words by

Mona-Lisa

My parents were asked to put a few words together about me following my recent trip to Rainbow Bridge. I decided that I was going to put my paws down once and for all and that they should let me have the last word. And judging from their reaction to my rather involuntary (sudden departure) the other night it’s best that I take the lead for once as their eyes are still filled with grief. So here I am now, having safely crossed over the Bridge (terrible traffic at this time of year for some strange reason) and reflecting on my physical life certainly well-lived and full. I am so grateful that my Dad was able to read my eyes and understand every word I spoke right from that very first day when we were introduced at my breeder, 10 years ago. He was always so attentive to my needs, teaching me new things (I’d never heard of PP Pads before... who knew?) and making sure that I always had the latest in designer fashions, no matter the expense. He even bought me jewellery which was a little heavy around my neck but what the heck, my friends wore it so why not me? Once, when I was performing in a fashion show for charity my runway friends were so envious when I would show off my hooded, down-filled parka (one of several, but who’s bragging). They could never figure out why I needed such clothing especially when my feet were never even allowed to touch the ground and I was always bundled up in a protective blanket anyways. But I just pranced and enjoyed the fuss and attention (Who wouldn’t?). They even went to great lengths to ensure that I didn’t get overheated! Can you believe that? Later on in life, during the people days of summers past, I would sometimes grow impatient with the time they spent on choosing an appropriate tee shirt or sleeveless sundress. Heaven forbid that their neighbours and friends would see me in the nude. I remember one particular store in the Town of Mount Royal Shopping Centre where I was outfitted for, not one, but TWO pairs of sunglasses! Designer frames and lenses of course. The best was being pushed around in a stroller like a human baby... that was the ultimate.

My goodness, the stares that I was getting when I was out in public... Everywhere I kept hearing the same phrase over and over, “When I die I want to come back like her!” What did I know; I thought everyone was treated like me. My four-footed friends were so jealous. I was slowly getting the feeling that my parents were perhaps somewhat mistaken and thought that I was a two-footed person after all (Humans can be such strange beings). The trips to the States were always fascinating, even Florida was a blast walking along the beach with the wind and sand in my hair. Deep down inside I always made sure to be aware of my surroundings, just in case I ever had to make my way back home alone (You hear so many stories these days!). The best was when I used to stay in the finest hotels and sleep on fluffy duvets, just like Mom and Dad. One thing that dogged me was that I never could really figure out why I had to be super quiet at the Registration Desk at the hotel lobbies. If I didn’t know any better I would think that they were trying to conceal me. Funny, the same thing would happen when we would go to Wal-Mart or Macy’s and even some fancy restaurants where they had those ridiculous “No Dogs” policies posted on the walls (Who says dogs can’t read?). I thought that it was a bit discriminatory, if not downright arrogant, don’t you think? I would never think of putting up a “No Humans” poster in my cage. At least at the restaurants I was virtually guaranteed a cup of fresh water and a nice juicy rib bone or two to keep me occupied in my camera bag. I thought that was also strange as there was never a camera inside that bag, just lots of room in which I could stretch out. Talking about cameras, my reputation as a fashion diva got a huge kick in the butt when the CBC came knocking one day wanting to do a documentary series on how people treat their pets. I couldn’t understand the big fuss but I played along anyways and allowed them to film me, first at my regular hair salon appointment, then in my home relaxing in my Montreal Canadiens floppy bed as we went through a typical feed-

Mona Lisa

ing routine in the kitchen. Lights, camera, action! Hollywood (This was Hollywoof) could never come close to this! As the years wore on I developed a few health issues, part of the inevitable aging process, some of which became quite serious. The odd thing is that I was never in any pain or discomfort. I just knew that things were not 100% right. Then we’d go visit Dr. Ed and he would run a few tests and prescribe some meds. I took my pills faithfully: You could practically set your watch by the regular doses of medication that I received but I took it all in stride, always content that my parents knew what was best for me. As usual, I signalled my appreciation for their valiant efforts through my eyes all the while being reassured that everything would be fine (For some reason, my communication skills using my eyes worked more effectively than my vocal cords. And the human reaction was almost instantaneous, so why mess

with a good thing. What power I had in my deep brown eyes! Who needed vocal cords?). I particularly remember about two years ago when things got a little hairy and scary around New Year’s Eve. I was losing weight and my hair was starting to thin out a bit too quickly. Again, without any prompting from me, they researched various medical opinions and gave me another round of medicine therapy including different types of prepared foods. My Mom was always making sure that my diet was balanced even though sometimes I really didn’t have much of an appetite. But wait, they even invented an appetite stimulant for that ailment too! Through it all, my 3-week standing salon appointment with Anna-Ma-

MONA-LISA Continues Page 14

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

COVER STORY

Soprano Sharon Azrieli Perez has inherited her late father’s greatness... and the well-being of two dogs Story and Photos by Bram Eisenthal u Exclusive to Precious Pets

It was in the spring of 1993 that I was in Israel, invited to the grand opening of legendary Montreal builder/architect David Azrieli’s newest mall in Jerusalem, Ken-

yon Yerushalayim, at that time the largest mall in the Middle East. He was yet to build Tel Aviv’s Azrieli Center, which is arguably the Middle East’s premier business

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address. Azrieli was a legend because of the sheer magnitude of everything he chose to work on. A Polish refugee from World War II who stayed one step ahead of annihilation in the Holocaust, his name is still revered b y people both here and in Israel, where he was a pioneer... other than by those who were jealous of him. One local media outlet in particular enjoying cursing him, so much so that he went back to school and worked incredibly hard to garner his architect’s degree, with honours, to top it off. Not so much bashing anymore from the aforementioned seriously-declining local media, it seems. At that grand opening in Jerusalem, I had the distinct pleasure of hearing his daughter, Sharon Azrieli, already a well-known world-class soprano, perform for the 3,000 invited guests, including then-retired Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek, since deceased (as is her dad), but another perennial legend still oft -mentioned today. While “The Master Builder” (David Azrieli) has gone on to critically appraising much more heavenly landscapes, his daughter, a resident of Westmount, Quebec, is still very active as a professional musician. Sharon Azrieli resides with her husband, children and two charming Schnoodle dogs, Toby, 3-years old and Mimi, 1, in the historic Braemar house, built in 1847 and simply exquisite, thanks to the dedication Azrieli Perez (her married name) has devoted to its preservation. So it is there that we met with Azrieli Perez and managed to get some gorgeous photos of her and her adorable dogs, immersed in a veritable palate-full of colours. Sharon grew up with some major life influences lighting her creative spark: “First, there was my teacher at Solomon Schecter Academy, (the renowned) Yehuda Vineberg, who

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PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

gave me my first solo opportunity in choir. “Next, I was fortunate to have as a neighbour (the esteemed) opera singer, Judy Lechter, who became my first voice teacher.” Cantor Solomon Gisser, the singer of religious liturgy at Congregation Shaare Zion here in Montreal was Azrieli Perez’s Bat Mitzvah instructor and another major influence, as he not only inspired her creatively, he inspired her to become a cantor herself, a role she fulfilled for Temple Emanu-El Beth Sholom in Westmount, Quebec later in life. There were others, including Eli Rubenstein, of the “Big Band,” who engaged her to perform Israeli songs for her first professional gig, at Montreal’s Saidye Bronfman Centre. Of course, her proud, perfectionist father was never far behind: “My dad gave me my first real pair of gold dangling Yemenite earrings on the night of that performance-I will never forget how excited I was to wear them onstage,” she recalled. There were also professional influences whose music Azrieli Perez enjoyed growing up: Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, but music teacher Esther Ofarim was another whose impact was indelible. “Later when I got to college I had real voice lessons and listened to real opera greats Maria Callas, Anna Moffo.... I even got to study with her in person, in Florence and in Paris,” Azrieli-Perez added. Her family went above and beyond expectations in their support of her, however: “They let me study as much as I wanted and always supported education, but did not support my wanting to be a professional singer - I’m sure my dad wished I would have been an architect or artist.” (ED NOTE: She also has a degree in design from the Parsons School in New York, but enjoyed singing because it always presented the most difficult combination of elements... hence it was the most alluring and challenging field).

DOGS

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OPINIONS

Cats versus dogs: The Breakdown You can take them on hikes, walks around the park or bring them to the mall in a purse. Essentially, you can bring them wherever you want and, most of the time, no one will say “boo” about it. Dogs are super-affectionate and they want/need love almost all the time. As a somewhat more needy human being, I would say this is probably a huge reason as to why I am a dog person.

A Pawws for Some R&R with Zoe Bennett

Have you ever found yourself wondering what makes someone a cat person versus a dog person? Because apparently, I do this often and I wanted to get this off my mind while

gaining a little perspective. Personally, I would categorize myself as a dog person for a number of reasons: First and foremost, dogs look great at the end of a leash.

morguefile.com photo

Not to say cat people aren’t incredible in their own right and, to be perfectly honest, cat people intrigue me in many ways. Whenever I meet someone who is so deeply into cats I tend to ask a lot of questions, because I truly want to understand what it is I am missing. Let’s take for example Taylor Swift, very much a cat person. She talks about her cats Olivia and Meredith more than the meteorologist discusses weather patterns. She is so clearly in love with these animals to the point that it is borderline obsession. She takes them everywhere with her and misses them terribly when she isn’t within reach of them. This makes me want to find out more on the matter, because, clearly, there is something I am missing. I must say cats are quite impressive creatures: They are extremely

smart and tend to keep to themselves quite often; They are so mysterious, as well, which might well determine the real difference between dog people and cat people, if you get my drift. Cat people feed off of that unknown, wondering, perhaps, “what are they thinking” or “what are they plotting?” Dogs, however, are very straightforward with what they want: They are well in tune with their emotions and are very verbal

VERSUS Continues Page 6

Creating a better bond with your pet is a great resolution

Boyhood Buddy with Jovan Rohac

As a pet owner, I realize there are always ways to improve your animal’s life. For me, I usually try and ignore my dog when I am really interested in playing my video games. But to start the New Year off properly, when I’m interested in playing my video game and one of my dogs start nagging me for attention, I will pause my game and

play with my dog until he gets tired and only then will I resume playing my game. I think you should cherish the time with your pet companion... while you have a pet. Because when your pet is gone, you’ll regret not spending as much time with him or her (ED. NOTE - Jovan, this goes for humans, too!). Even though my

pets still have a long life ahead of them. I will pay attention to them before it’s too late. Another way to improve my pet’s life is by creating a greater bond between me and my pet. Ways to do that: Walking them, feeding them.... and just playing. Another thing I could do is just play with my pet of my own free will, not just when they want attention. There’s a bunch of other things you could do to try and improve your pet’s life ...but this is the one I am going to stick to for this year. Oh wait! I forgot! There’s one last one I would like to try and that is to comb my dog’s fur (but that might not happen). Anyway , where was I ? Oh yes! I bet next year, after I have accomplished these resolutions, I’ll have a bunch of new ones for 2-0-1-7.

Coming Up: NEXT ISSUE

FRIDAY. February 26, 2016

DEADLINE WEDNESDAY, February 17, 2016 info@preciouspetscanada.com

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

VERSUS Continued from Page 6 i

or showy about them. Dog people search for the comfort of knowing the dog inside and out, what makes them tick. As for cats, however, you can only know as much as they are willing to reveal. Cats also tend to keep to them-

selves more often and can give off an angry vibe sometimes, but it seems as though that is what makes them more loveable (maybe we won’t take it as much for granted when they are sweet and cuddly because of this?). Dogs are easier to

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read and have much more energy. Have you ever indulged in the Garfield comics? That is, to me, the true definition of the difference between dogs and cats. Garfield (a cat) wants to eat his lasagna and sleep all day, while Odie (a dog) is constantly revving full of energy and ready to play. Come to think of it, I would love to have Garfield’s life but that’s a topic for another day. So, let me leave you with this thought: Dogs come when you call

them, cats will take a message and get back to you. Which one of those scenarios sounds more appealing? I guess the answer may well determine which of the two species you prefer. This is Zoe’s first column for us and we appreciate her input. If you have any thoughts on the matter, feel free to send them in, care of the Precious Pets e-mail address on our masthead.

TIDBITS

morguefile.com photo

Art from

Marta Barnes

“With the deep freeze of winter in effect, Lucky was thrilled to discover an innovative way to continue enjoying his favourite snack.”

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

DOGS

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Azrieli Perez’s relationship to her late father is likely the factor that created the successful professional she has become. Since i knew David Azrieli personally myself, I wanted to know more. “Well, up till I was 10, he was very warm and loving,” she revealed. “We went for walks and he was imaginative and wonderful and taught me music and art. He became much stricter in my teen years, and had a hard time accepting that I wanted to pursue a career as a singer. But after about 20 years, seeing me struggle and stick to it and earn my Doctorate, I knew he respected me. “I admire him so much for his perseverance, as well in doing what he loved and in loving what he did. He made the world a better place and he gave so much back to the world. He left a huge imprint.” What skills and/or mindset does one require to “make it” in her chosen field, I asked? “Well, In addition to excellence in preparation and education, you need 100 percent dedication to one’s craft, meaning: Living like a nun; No drinking; No late nights; Complete perseverance, study and memorization. “It’s really not a glamorous life. In operatic study you really have to learn the music strictly the way the composer wrote it. There is

no room for error or improvisation. The layers of acting and vocal nuance that you put into the music accord you much less freedom than one could enjoy with, say, acting. You cannot be selfish because you are part of a huge machine - just like an instrument in an orchestra.” Regarding her career highpoints, she listed: Covering Mirella Freni in Paris, in the four-act opera, Adiana Lecouvreur; Winning the Pavarotti competition; As well as all the excitement at the beginning of the career, when you don’t realize it’s just the beginning.” Finally I had to ask about her love for dogs. “We always had a dog, a Schnauzer, first a miniature named Toto, then a standard growing up, so it’s normal for me. I love the Schnoodle breed, mainly because they are so smart. They also love the water. “And the Schnauzer is so loyal.” You can next see Sharon Azrieli Perez perform on Sunday February 14, 2016, as she joins the Montreal Chamber Orchestra and conductor Boris Brott for their third annual Valentine’s Day event, entitled Chocolate & love songs. Her late father’s Sofitel ballroom, the Picasso, will be the venue. For tickets or for more information, call Claudine Jacques, at 514-487-5190 or go to evenements@ ocm-mco.org

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

Tales From “The Catman”

Iconic NYC Algonquin Hotel’s resident cats get royal treatment with

Mike Cohen

NEW YORK, NY - My family and I celebrated the end of 2015 by spending a wonderful five days in New York City. Of course, the Big Apple is a pretty terrific place to shop, from the boutiques of Madison Avenue, the iconic department stores on Fifth Avenue, the world’s largest Macy’s, the two bargain-packed Century 21 locales and the fashion-forward shops in SoHo and the Village. There are many great museums to choose from, as well. Among the most popular tourists stops in the Big Apple are the 9-1-1 Memorial, the Empire State Building, the Museum of Civilization, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Central Park Zoo and the Bronx Zoo. We really wanted to stay close to Times Square on this trip and

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

hit the jackpot with the famous Alonquin Hotel (www.algonquinhotel.com). Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, this jewel of historic New York hotels commands the center of 44th Street, close to the bustling heart of Times Square and Fifth Avenue. The Algonquin first opened its doors in 1902. Today it is part of the Marriott chain’s Autograph Collection, an evolving ensemble of strikingly independent hotels. Each destination has been selected for its: quality; bold originality; rich character and uncommon

CATS

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ASK THE DOCTOR

They Call Me Dr. W

The best time to acquire a puppy… and to work at his socialization (by Dr. Wybranowski, B.SC. DVM CCRT)

The best time to acquire a puppy is when you know you will have the time to plan your day around his education. Doing it part time is not ideal. A puppy learns about the world around him early on in life. This period is called the socialization period and it lasts only from 8-16 weeks of age. Socialization is a natural phenomenon: It is instinctive and it is how the species has learned to survive till today. A cub wolf goes through the same process: He just learns different things than a dog does. During the socialization period both learn the skills needed to survive, they learn what is dangerous and should be feared and what is acceptable and rewarding. A puppy learns to either accept new situations, objects, people and other animals or to fear them. It is therefore very important to expose your young puppy to as many different things as you can in order for him to be a balanced, fearless and well-socialized individual. If he spends this critical period in a cage, it will be much more difficult and often impossible to turn him into a well-balanced dog. Therefore, the ideal time to bring a new puppy into your home is when he is between eight and 12-weeks-old. If your puppy comes from a breeder who has both the mother and littermates living in his house and interacting with the family, it can be at the age of 12 weeks, but if your puppy is living in a kennel or in a cage you should get him sooner, at 8 weeks of age. The process of socialization is very easy. Basically you need to introduce the new world to your puppy and monitor his response. If he is afraid of something, then you need to keep re-introducing that object or situation more frequently, until he learns to accept it. Rewards and praise help him understand what you want him to do. Positive reinforcement is achieved by praising him, petting him, giving him small, very tasty treats and by telling the puppy that this kind behaviour is acceptable, so he will seek to repeat it in order to get the same reward. If, for instance, your puppy is afraid of strangers, take him outside and try to have him meet as many people as possible. Encourage your puppy to meet new people, praise him

when he lets himself get petted and reward him with treats when he is behaving well. You can even ask the strangers to give him the rewards. Your puppy will quickly learn that strangers are not to be feared. You have to introduce him to many different strangers for this to work, about 200 within this short period. They must be as different as possible: Children, adults, people in uniform, people of different ethnicity, people walking with canes, children on bicycles and skateboards, people wearing glasses, people wearing hats, etc. To a puppy, each person is different and he needs to learn that he is safe in their company. As a veterinarian I cringe, when people tell me they bought a puppy from the pet shop at the age of five months. How was this puppy socialized, what kind of experiences did he have? His world was a cage and now he is suddenly taken outside on a leash and is bewildered by all he sees. This does not mean that it is hopeless at a later age. It just means that it is much more difficult and will require a lot more time. So if you are retired and you plan on spending the next few months of your life with the puppy glued to your side out and about, go right ahead

and take that older puppy. But if you work all day and come home at 5:00 p.m., you will be very limited regarding how much time you can spend socializing your puppy. You will have an uphill battle. Besides socialization there are many other things you need to do

with your new puppy, but that is for the next article. (ED. NOTE: This is the first of a series of columns with a related theme)

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

CATS

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details. From near-to-far, iconic-to-historic, the result is an array of properties that is nothing less than unique. The Algonquin Hotel is the first New York City property to become a part of the collection. Each of the 181 rooms and 25 suites features a comfortable well-lit work desk, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi. Always one step ahead of everyone else, the hotel was the first to offer accommodations to actors and single women travellers. We stayed in a very comfortable one bedroom suite named the Robert Sherwood Suite. But as a cat lover, first and foremost, I was eager to meet Matilda, the house cat. She is a real beauty and can be found sleeping atop her cat house at the front desk or making her way through the different cat doors on the main floor. Matilda is a large ragdoll cat, soft as velvet. Operations manager Abeer Soliman was kind enough to bring her out so I could pet her. For many years the tale of “The Algonquin Cat” was believed to have its origins in the 1930s, when a stray cat came wandering into the hotel for food and water. After the hotel acquired an out-ofprint book written by the hotel’s first general manager, Frank Case, a chapter was discovered about a cat named Billy. Based on the timeline of the book, the hotel is now proud to say the lineage of

The Algonquin Cat dates back to the early 1920s. Two days after Billy passed, a stray cat wandered into the hotel and The Algonquin welcomed Rusty. The famous classical actor, John Barrymore, was a resident at the time (the early 1930s) and Rusty was renamed Hamlet in his honor (Hamlet is said to have been Barrymore’s greatest stage role). The hotel has had a total of 11 cats, including Billy. The lineage includes sev-

morguefile.com photo

en Hamlets and three Matildas. Each cat that has reigned at The Algonquin has been a rescue. In 1980, author Hilary Knight immortalized The Algonquin Cat with his cartoons for a children’s book on which he collaborated with Val Schaffner. The current Matilda began her residence in December 2010. Today, Matilda is looked after by the hotel’s Chief Cat Officer, Alice De Almeida. The hotel’s executive chef cooks her special meals on holidays. She receives fan mail and gifts constantly, from around the world, including Japan, Australia and Russia. Matilda can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. She can also be reached via e-mail: matildaalgonquincat@algonquinhotel.com. The hotel hosts an annual cat fashion show where the cat models— or “mewdels,” - were mostly stationary, arranged on a circle of tables in the Oak Room, just off the main hotel lobby. This year’s sold-out show benefited the animal-welfare nonprofit the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, in addition to paying tribute to New York City’s first responders. Accordingly, each cat was outfit-

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

ted as a different civil servant. A cat dressed in an M.T.A. uniform lolled in front of his food bowl, and a Persian in a tiny fireman’s hat snoozed next to a neighbor dressed as a paramedic. Cami, a rescue representing the nurses of New York, reclined near a stethoscope with a small, clear plastic cone around her neck, which was practical, not aesthetic. “ Matilda lives in a custom-made pet home perched atop the front desk. She freely roams the luxurious property (except the kitchen and dining areas), takes plenty of catnaps (which are in her job description), and receives fan mail and gifts from all over the world (including the aforementioned pet home). Mike Cohen can be reached at info@mikecohen.ca. See his travel advice column at www.sandboxworld.com/travel ED. NOTE: Côte Saint-Luc city councilor Michael J. Cohen also holds the municipality`s animal protection portfolio and founded the local Cats Committee. More on the CSL Cat Committee in a future issue of Precious Pets. We take a paws to thank Mike for a story well told!

EDITORIAL

Dog IQ by Juliana

Pavelka-Johnston

“That’s just a dog,” she said. I thought to myself, some people have no ‘Dog IQ.’ What do I mean by Dog Intelligence? Well, dear reader, have I got a story to tell. I was out on our morning run with Artemus, and his new little

Editorial Board The Editorial Board of Precious Pets is comprised of individuals connected to the pet field in some manner,

who are ready to ad-

vise the partners and/ or staff when asked for their opinions. They are:

Michael J. Cohen, Councilor, City of Cote Saint-Luc (Quebec) and founder of its Cats Committee

sibling, Merlin. Keith and I spend lots of time socializing with our hounds, so that they’ll be calm, well adjusted, not nervous, nor fearful in social settings. Not sure if you know this, but Wolfhounds are notorious for having the intelligence to rationalize for themselves. I’ve seen other dogs and I admire their intelligence also, however I’ve formed a close bond with Wolfhounds because they’re really smart1. Walking calmly, I was coming up to one of our neighbourhood streets and who do we see there? It was our little white Husky friend (ED. NOTE: The name has been removed by us). Huskies are runners. Huskies think that the entire territory belongs to them. This happy female was dashing towards us, away from her home, so I figured I’d talk to her softly, in order that my big boys would not interpret it as a threat. She was actually wagging her tail. Usually she’s tied up on the porch and I was surprised she wasn’t wearing her collar. The dog paid no attention to her pet guardian’s recall. When her pet guardian came to

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collect her, she had nothing to grab a hold of, to walk her back onto her property. Upon suggesting that the Husky wear her collar for identity, her pet guardian really cussed me out: A “Don’t tell me what to

Averil Robinson, owner of Pet Friends (Vaudreuil, Quebec) Gerdy Gouron, owner of Gerdy’s Rescues and Adoptions (Quebec) Dr. Wojciech Wybranowski – Veterinarian (Montreal’s West Island) Gaby Dufresne-St. Cyr – Owner of Dogueshop (Montreal) Suzanne Villeneuve – President: Suzanne Villeneuve Associates Inc. & SVbiz Inc.

do” sort of thing. Meanwhile this person’s front door was open, her child in the street, while she struggled to get a hold of her dog. Clearly this woman needed a muzzle. With her ranting, she did not even realize the poor dog almost got hit by the other neighbour, exiting his driveway in his car. Now that’s when I lost it. Your kids are outside unattended, your Husky almost got hit by a car and you’re telling me I have a bad attitude? Yes, admittedly, I was human. But, my hounds were calm, by my side, they did not flinch! Kudos to Artemus and the baby. I was upset that this beautiful Husky was almost hit by a car, but mindful that I had my boys on leashes, which I held gently. Later that evening with my husband Keith, who recounted Kano’s story. Some of our neighbours remember Kano, our huge Akita, which we often called “Little Bear.” Keith and I were not married yet. He was walking Kano and Harlow, the Great Dane, in Kirkland. The neighbours blond lab came barreling out at them.

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PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

PET LOVING OLYMPIAN

Meet Enzo: Caroline Calvé’s training buddy with

Gregory Caltabanis

The life of an Olympic snowboarder isn’t an easy one. The constant need to train and the continuous pursuit of excellence can become draining and doesn’t leave much time for anything else. Caroline Calvé, the first and only Canadian woman to win a World Alpine Snowboarding competition, was able to motivate herself with the help of her dog, Enzo. Calvé’s snowboarding career has been an unorthodox one. At 22, her passion for skiing led her into the world of snowboarding. From there, she devoted all her efforts to competing at the Olympics in snowboarding and succeeded in this respect in 2010 in Vancouver. Just a year later, she would go on to win a women’s parallel giant slalom world cup

event in Carezza, Italy, becoming the first Canadian woman to do so. In 2014, she would finish sixth at the Sochi Olympics. When talking about her unusual career path Calvé highlights one key factor: Belief. “Belief is at the base of everything,” she said. “Anything that we achieve in life is because we believed in ourselves at first. If I didn’t think I would succeed at 22 years old, when I undertook a new sport, I would have never gone to the Olympic games for snowboarding,” added Calvé. In addition to having to deal with a new sport, she suffered a setback in 2008 that threatened to derail her progress. Calvé went down with a knee injury that would keep her off the slopes for six months.

“My knee injury taught me a lot of key lessons in life. It showed me that I had focus on what I can do in the moment to achieve my goal, instead of looking four years ahead,” said Calvé. She would nonetheless overcome the injury like she had previously done with the obstacles in her life. Just a few years after the injury, Enzo entered her life and spurred her on. Calvé got him five years ago, directly after the Olympics, seeking companionship. Enzo is a mix between a Bouvier and a Béarnaise…. and has since grown to be over 100 pounds. “We winter athletes have a lot less training camps and more free time in the summer, therefore it was a good time to adopt a dog. I wanted to spend the most time possible with him,” said Calvé. Following the Olympics, winter athletes typically spend six months at home before returning to their regular schedule. As the summer wore on, Enzo’s role in her life continued to expand. The 37-year-old was able to bring him to her workouts, as the gym she would go to was owned by friends of hers. When Enzo grew older, he would join her on cardio-based training and proved to be a more than adequate workout buddy. “Doing intervals and jogging for ten kilometers is not fun for me but seeing Enzo very happy to go on these runs motivated me a lot,” said Calvé about the importance of her dog. In fact, the Olympian enjoyed Enzo’s company so much that she recommends buying a dog, for the same purpose, to fellow athletes. “For me, it definitely helped

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having him. I always found it really hard to get up but when you have a dog you have to go for walks every day and it pushes you to go on your workouts,” said an enthusiastic Calvé. Today Enzo continues to play a big part in her life, despite the fact that Calvé is now retired. She currently works in collaboration with AthletesCan, a non-profit organization that seeks to develop athlete leaders in Canada. In addition to her role with them, Calvé often talks to students and businesses at conferences. Once again, belief and self-confidence are at the heart of her talks and she often draws on a famous quote from Henry Ford that goes, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” Words that have not only come to define her career, but her life. Thanks to Gregory, whom, it appears, will quickly become a regular contributor to Precious Pets as well. Compelling story… we anticipate great things from you, Greg. Your Concordia journalism experience should come in quite handy. So, January marks a good period for newbies at our little paper, it turns out.

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

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Kano was only protecting Keith. That lab got 35 stitches that day. From that day forward, Kano hated Blonde Labs. Then there was the pug that wanted to confront Kano. Once again, the owner yelling at Keith, “He’s not harmful...” Keith: “But mine can be...” Faster than you can think or blink, Kano picked up the pug in his mouth, shook it like a toy, and spit it onto the curb. The pug ran home. Dogs are intelligent. They have a language of their own and they often they protect their guardians. We have laws that are meant to protect everyone, including our dogs. Keep your dog on leash, keep it on your property and assure it is well identified with a collar for easy retrieval, should it stray far from home. The collar protects the dog and the human. Now if a human is walking down a dark street and a stranger comes running to you, what would you do? Anything to protect yourself, and your loved one, if they are with you. Perhaps,

there will be bumps and bruises, but if it’s a dog? Chances are good that a dog might be punished for no valid reason. Simply due to a lack of a humans Dog IQ. You can also call it mindfulness, or plain old fashioned common sense. Happy walks to you and your dogs, dear readers. Be safe always. To my neighbour who cussed me out, Maybe you were just having a “bad hair-day.” Had I not had two well-socialized hounds, this story could have been very different – Think about it! Exercising your Dog IQ makes humans good parents, be it for two-legged or four-legged family members. 1 - Reference to famous Wolfhounds such as Bally Shannon – War Hero & Llewelyn’s Gelert 2: Graphic: Irish Wolfhound; “Gentle When Stroked, Fierce when Provoked”.

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Aid, taught by Dr. Will Falconer, DVM: “Vital Animal “and the recent winner of The Canine Case Study, judged by Dr. Randal Kidd, DVM, Ph.D. She’s also an eight-

year member of the Irish Wolfhound Club of Canada. You’ve seen her and her hounds in the St. Patrick’s Day Parades.

Juliana Pavelka-Johnston: Is a member of the DNM Academy, has a certificate in Canine CPR, Canine Homeopathic First

BRAM

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quite fond of cats, started the downward spiral of celebs who went on to meet our Maker earlier this month. He was subsequently joined by actor Alan Rickman, Quebec-born star-maker and entrepreneur René Angélil, Eagles founder and frontman Glenn Frey and Mott the Hoople drummer and Bowie buddy Dale Griffin. The entertainment scene is all the poorer with their loss and, we, too, have experienced much sadness and regret. Thanks to them all for their contributions to our lives on this Astral Plane. Welkommen: To new writers Zoe Bennett and

Gregory Caltabanis. We’re proud to have you on board. Habs stink We are, however, not so proud to have the Habs ply their trade of grotesque sports mimicry since early December. How they could go from the best team in the NHL in November to the worst since then is beyond me. None of you are big believers in boycotting as punishment, I see. When gas prices were ridiculously high, you refused to boycott individual stations. Now, you reward Habs owner Geoff Molson with sold-out games, despite the awful mediocrity we are subjected to. Shame!

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

MONA-LISA Continued from Page 3 i

ria at Pampered Pets in Westmount was always on schedule and for 90 glorious minutes, I was brushed, fluffed, patted, and styled. I even had delicate manicures as well! My life was always a perfect balance of fun, rest, play and socializing, and I also got along great with my parent’s friends. I was fascinated by the warmth and lapped up the attention that I received, even in homes where there were no other four-legged creatures. Everyone made me feel completely at ease, even putting down the

“welcome mat” on their kitchen floor for me to pee on, just like at my own house. At other homes where there were real four-footed cousins, my parents were almost paranoid about keeping me safe from friendly but inquisitive noses. I might as well have been put on a pedestal. Anyways, like I said at the beginning, I cannot say enough of my beautiful life on your side of the Bridge. I know that I made many, many friends and it would be impossible to describe the mutual

love and respect that I have for you all. Gotta go now, my friends are calling me....time to go and play... ...now where did I park my stroller? Special woofs and licks to: Ian, for taking such good care of me at boarding camp deep in the woods; Anna-Maria, for her magic and advice in managing my grooming needs; Heidi, for her skills at selecting just the right outfits and jewellery to match my colour; Denis and Carl, for their boundless friendship, advice, guidance and encouragement; CBC 109 Documentary Series, for proving that life has really gone to the dogs after all;

Puzzles

Solution

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

My parents’ friends, who were so patient when I sometimes showed up late for dinner plans because my Mom insisted on taking the extra time for me to eat properly and on-schedule before going out; Dr. Ed Gallagher, his colleagues, and the dedicated staff at Mercier Animal Hospital who were always reachable and available 24/7 with “a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down”; Pet Friends’ Averil and Kevin, who knew just the right words to say when they welcomed me into their arms. Mona Lisa June 17, 2003 - January 20, 2016

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • www.preciouspets.ca

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